Public to Have Voice in Planning Riverfront Park in Lloyd

LLOYD/HIGHLAND -- Scenic Hudson and The Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) will hold a community meeting to discuss a new public park that will be created in the Town of Lloyd on a 250-acre parcel boasting spectacular views from bluffs rising 300 feet above the Hudson River. The woodland preserve, known as the Franny Reese Preserve State Park, honors the memory of Frances "Franny" Reese, a Scenic Hudson founder and internationally recognized leader of the modern environmental movement.

The meeting will be held Thursday, March 6, at 7:00 p.m. at the Highland Fire Station at 25 Milton Ave/Route 44-55, just off Route 9W.

Scenic Hudson and PIPC will share preliminary plans for the park that have resulted from extensive analysis of the unique property's ecological, scenic and historic features. This presentation will include maps of the property that show existing trails and the best areas for views as well as natural and historic features. Those attending the meeting will be invited to share their ideas for how the park can best serve the community.

The land already is open for public use, and even without formal parking and signage, it was awarded "Best New Trails" by Hudson Valley magazine in 2007. Extending over three-quarters of a mile of Hudson River shoreline, the property offers impressive views of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Mid-Hudson Bridge, city of Poughkeepsie, Samuel Morse Historic Site and more distant vistas such as Mount Beacon and Fishkill Ridge. The goal is to have the park completed for the 2009 celebration of Henry Hudson's historic voyage of discovery.

Scenic Hudson purchased the property in 2003 and last year sold it to New York State. Scenic Hudson will continue to manage the park and was awarded two grants from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River Estuary Grant Program to help with park design and construction. As with any park land it sells to the state or other land preservation organizations, Scenic Hudson uses the proceeds to purchase additional lands and create more parks. Since 1990, the Poughkeepsie-based group has created or enhanced 40 parks up and down the Hudson River for public enjoyment.

Franny Reese (1917-2003) was regarded as Scenic Hudson's leader for four decades. Her dedication to preserving the valley's natural beauty continues to have a profound impact on the region and efforts to promote smart economic growth. In addition to her remarkable legacy at Scenic Hudson, Ms. Reese played a key role in other local institutions, including Marist College and Locust Grove, the Samuel F.B. Morse Historic Site

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Scenic Hudson works to protect and restore the Hudson River and its majestic landscape as an irreplaceable national treasure and a vital resource for residents and visitors. A crusader for the valley since 1963, we are credited with saving fabled Storm King Mountain from a destructive industrial project and launching the modern grass-roots environmental movement. Today with more than 10,000 ardent supporters, we are the largest environmental group focused on the Hudson River Valley. Our team of experts combines land acquisition, support for agriculture, citizen-based advocacy and sophisticated planning tools to create environmentally healthy communities, champion smart economic growth, open up riverfronts to the public and preserve the valley's inspiring beauty and natural resources. www.scenichudson.org

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